Our car wash and bake sale for our children's home in Liberia was OK, not the best car wash we've ever done but much better than sitting home not trying at all!!! I am thankful for each person who stopped and to whom we were able to minister. it was a warm very sunny day, a very windy day and that's the kind of day which deceives on into forgettingthat a sun burn WILL happen!!! I am burned pretty red from facing the sun while prancingup and down the sidewalk with my CAR WASH signs with the younger kiddos.
We had a really good time and I so appreciate our friends who came and helped us. Gideon and Malachi came out and helped most of the day too!!
I have a LOT of baked goods left. That part of the day didn't go as well as I had hoped.
Tomorrow Daniel has his surgery for his feeding tube and refulux problems. We will be in the hospital until at least Sunday. If yo'd pray for an uncomplicated surgey and recovery period we would be most grateful!!
I'll have my trusty little computer with me so I'll stay in touch.
Just like a little bit of everything goes into a great pot of soup, so God has brought a lot of things and people into our family. He adds and He takes away, but in the process we are being seasoned and poured out, shared and blessed. The ingredients are unique but its a wonderful blend!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
More Like Falling in Love by Jason Grey
Oh dear readers CATCH THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just put it as my #1 on my playlist!!
Be blessed, and YES YES FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS!!!!!!!! (Recent proofreading and editing done by Miss Naomi who caught my dyslexic "adn" and "jsut" and asked that I please fix them!)
Be blessed, and YES YES FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS!!!!!!!! (Recent proofreading and editing done by Miss Naomi who caught my dyslexic "adn" and "jsut" and asked that I please fix them!)
CAR WASH and BAKE SALE TOMORROW!!!
I love car washes for fund raising! The fun and fellowship and the opportunities to share God's love while we WORK out in public is just so fun to me! I love running with posters along the streets with my children and their friends, love talking to people about WHY we are washing cars to raise funds, love telling people "no there is no set amount. YOU give what you want to give" and seeing how God moves on hearts. I love the servant heart that this kind of fund raiser strengthens in my children.
Tomorrow we will be washing cars to raise funds for food and clothing for our children in Liberia. We are trusting God for a beautiful day , like the one we are thoroughly enjoying today, praying that God be preparing hearts and cars and sweet teeth, helping us who are baking to not over bake and not waste a single cookie by burning or dropping or crumbling, but that we are able to be the best stewards of every facet of this event that we could possibly be! I'm praying over our attitudes, over each person who is going to come help, over those who have donated baked goods for us, donated supplies, over those who are prayting with us!
Orphans are so close to God's heart. His examples in scripture,after analogy of salvation to adoption make it so clear how special orphans are to Him. I know how I "pound the table and weep" over the children we have brought into our family, over those who I've specifically been called to pray into the families of others, AND for the families whose hearts need to be touched and drawn into adopting the millions of waiting children. IF I , a mere dairy goat farming, home schooling mom, have this much passion inside of me for these children, HOW MUCH DEEPER IS GOD'S PASSION! "Loves like a hurricane...I ( and yes!!! the orphans) am/ are a tree, bending beneath the weight of His grace and mercy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
If you know of a family who is fund raising for any stage or facet of an adoption, a program which helps families to adopt, if you are a family praying about adoption, or NEED to be, please do something about that this week? It does not have to be our family, but it certainly may be!!! But seek what God would have YOU do for "the least of these" who wait: perhaps hungry, under-clothed, lonely, confused, but all loved of God even if they don't know it yet!
Tomorrow we will be washing cars to raise funds for food and clothing for our children in Liberia. We are trusting God for a beautiful day , like the one we are thoroughly enjoying today, praying that God be preparing hearts and cars and sweet teeth, helping us who are baking to not over bake and not waste a single cookie by burning or dropping or crumbling, but that we are able to be the best stewards of every facet of this event that we could possibly be! I'm praying over our attitudes, over each person who is going to come help, over those who have donated baked goods for us, donated supplies, over those who are prayting with us!
Orphans are so close to God's heart. His examples in scripture,after analogy of salvation to adoption make it so clear how special orphans are to Him. I know how I "pound the table and weep" over the children we have brought into our family, over those who I've specifically been called to pray into the families of others, AND for the families whose hearts need to be touched and drawn into adopting the millions of waiting children. IF I , a mere dairy goat farming, home schooling mom, have this much passion inside of me for these children, HOW MUCH DEEPER IS GOD'S PASSION! "Loves like a hurricane...I ( and yes!!! the orphans) am/ are a tree, bending beneath the weight of His grace and mercy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
If you know of a family who is fund raising for any stage or facet of an adoption, a program which helps families to adopt, if you are a family praying about adoption, or NEED to be, please do something about that this week? It does not have to be our family, but it certainly may be!!! But seek what God would have YOU do for "the least of these" who wait: perhaps hungry, under-clothed, lonely, confused, but all loved of God even if they don't know it yet!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Daniel,my Praise and Worship partner
Oh how my sweet baby blesses my life!! When I hear my other children singing praise songs during the day, it always makes me smile, I get a deep rich blessing as I hear them and watch their faces, but Daniel, of whom the neurosurgeon said "has minimal brain stem, minimal brain activity and capability,no memory, no genuine sensory awareness," LOVES to sing praises to his Lord ! He sings with absolute reckless abandon and from the very deepest and fullest depths of what is obviously a deeper being than his brain is given credit for. Thank you to my dear friend Jenny who gently remidned me that a sould and spirit do not require a brain! If all of us who have all the normal parts of our brains would or could worship God like my hydranencephalic baby does, there would never be any threat of any stones or rocks crying out ( Luke 19:39-40And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. ")
Yesterday morning in church, Daniel was having a totally uninhibited and thoroughly good time singing . I can not always watch him when he is singing because I can not lead and be so over come by my own emotions at the same time. I tried two weeks ago and I just plain lost it several times. This morning I just let myself enjoy his joyful noise as we sang. There was just a small group of us this morning so he was even more easily heard. God is ministering to hearts through Daniel and particularly through his worship. ( I will tell you that he likes the bowling alley sounds and to help me cheer for a football team, but his facial expression is different when he is singing rather than responding to loud sounds) He mostly listened to "Desert Song" but when we sang "It is Well With My Soul " and "and Can it Be That I Should Gain", "How He Loves" and "More Love, More Power" he exhibited all the passion of a much older person who had lived a life of rebellious choices and evil outcomes, experienced messed up circumstances, broken heart and dreams, sharing how he came to meet Jesus and ask Him to be his Savior, ask Him to forgive his sins, cleanse him from all unrighteousness and began to fall deeply in love with Jesus,in all His fullness in Father , Son and Holy Spirit. YES ! All that from the heart of a "missing -brained" baby boy! It isn't the notes we sing, it isn't even the words we sing, or the quality with which we sing them that ministers to us, or to our Heavenly Father, It is our heart-attitude. I will always remember at a church we once attended, there was a man who loved to sing an occasional solo in the morning worship service. He did not have a particularly pleasing voice, by any standards, honestly. But this man LOVED THE LORD SO MUCH that when he sang, the scratchy notes, missed notes, strained notes and fumbled words got lost in sharing his love for God, and the "amens" and words of gratitude and praise at the conclusion of his singing were TRULY what a person singing a solo in a worship service should be focused upon: PRAISING GOD for the spirit of worship in song! The glory should all be going to God ALONE. There was another man who came and sang there sometimes too. He was the son of someone in the church. He was gifted musically, had studied music in college, was hoping for a recording career. Technically, he would get "all A's " if graded on his singing. Know what? There were lots of words of praise heaped up...on the head of that man. There was always much applause, as if we'd been at a concert, but not listening to a person who was being used of God as part of a worship service. I found myself wishing the other man had been singing because he helped keep my mind on God and His Word.
Daniel by all "standards" can NOT sing and yet God is using his song to remind people of a very basic truth : that we need to worship in spirit and in truth ( John 4:24) not to be heard of men or praised by them but that we worship purely and freely with no thought for how we may be viewed except BY GOD ALONE and, that we DO worship God because we love Him, because we want to and because we simply CAN NOT HELP IT!
The words to the songs God gave me for our worship this week all attest to God's incredible love for His people. Several of our songs were written in the 1800's. The message is the SAME as the one in the songs written in the last few years: GOD'S LOVE. Amazing love...how can it be??? He loves like a hurricane...I am a tree.......... Daniel has no idea what a hurricane is, much less a tree.maybe he knows what a sloppy wet kiss is, if he remembers, but the love of God alive in him? Oh I have no doubt that he knows THAT! Please read the words, sing along if you know the tunes, let God's love pour all over you like it poured all over us through Daniel's singing of these songs? OH How He Loves !
Desert Song
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
*
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame
*
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here
*
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand
God is my victory and He is here
*
All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
*
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow
It is Well With My Soul
When peace like a river
Attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
Thou has taught me to say
It is well it is well with my soul
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet
Though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded
My helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
*
My sin O the bliss
Of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole ( bold type and italics my own)
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord praise the Lord O my soul
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
*
And Lord haste the day
When my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul
*
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
And Can It Be
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood
Died He for me who caused His pain
For me who Him to death pursued
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
He left His Father's throne above
So free so infinite His grace
Emptied Himself of all but love
And bled for Adam's helpless race
'Tis mercy all immense and free
For O my God it found out me
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off my heart was free
I rose went forth and followed Thee
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
No condemnation now I dread
Jesus and all in Him is mine
Alive in Him my living head
And clothed in righteousness divine
Bold I approach th'eternal throne
And claim the crown through Christ my own
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
Daniel practically shouted AMAZING LOVE HOW CAN IT BE THAT THOU MY GOD SHOULD DIE FOR ME!!!!
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
*
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
(Yeah) He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves
*
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
He loves us
Daniel will have two surgical procedures done concerning his stomach on Friday. One will give him a feeding tube port ( a "Mickey button" and the other will tighten the sphincter between his stomach and his esophagus so that he isn't so trauamtized by reflux. His teeth are already nearly corroded away from the acid reflux, no telling what his poor esophagus may look like as well. this will be a three day hopitalization. The shunt surgery was only one over night but this is more complicated than the brain surgery. There is more to get restored and in working order before we will be allowed to come home. Will you please pray for my little musician that God will guide every second of the surgery in safety and expertise, and that the recovery period will be eventful ONLY in the areas where events are the desired outcome, with no complications or infections or side issues? I will have my computer and lots of music for him to be in the presence of start to finish. and of course I will be singing over him too. We'll miss one Sunday of worshipping together in church but I suspect that God has other people for Daniel to sing for, and they may need to hear his song far more than anyone inside of a church!!
And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. ")
Yesterday morning in church, Daniel was having a totally uninhibited and thoroughly good time singing . I can not always watch him when he is singing because I can not lead and be so over come by my own emotions at the same time. I tried two weeks ago and I just plain lost it several times. This morning I just let myself enjoy his joyful noise as we sang. There was just a small group of us this morning so he was even more easily heard. God is ministering to hearts through Daniel and particularly through his worship. ( I will tell you that he likes the bowling alley sounds and to help me cheer for a football team, but his facial expression is different when he is singing rather than responding to loud sounds) He mostly listened to "Desert Song" but when we sang "It is Well With My Soul " and "and Can it Be That I Should Gain", "How He Loves" and "More Love, More Power" he exhibited all the passion of a much older person who had lived a life of rebellious choices and evil outcomes, experienced messed up circumstances, broken heart and dreams, sharing how he came to meet Jesus and ask Him to be his Savior, ask Him to forgive his sins, cleanse him from all unrighteousness and began to fall deeply in love with Jesus,in all His fullness in Father , Son and Holy Spirit. YES ! All that from the heart of a "missing -brained" baby boy! It isn't the notes we sing, it isn't even the words we sing, or the quality with which we sing them that ministers to us, or to our Heavenly Father, It is our heart-attitude. I will always remember at a church we once attended, there was a man who loved to sing an occasional solo in the morning worship service. He did not have a particularly pleasing voice, by any standards, honestly. But this man LOVED THE LORD SO MUCH that when he sang, the scratchy notes, missed notes, strained notes and fumbled words got lost in sharing his love for God, and the "amens" and words of gratitude and praise at the conclusion of his singing were TRULY what a person singing a solo in a worship service should be focused upon: PRAISING GOD for the spirit of worship in song! The glory should all be going to God ALONE. There was another man who came and sang there sometimes too. He was the son of someone in the church. He was gifted musically, had studied music in college, was hoping for a recording career. Technically, he would get "all A's " if graded on his singing. Know what? There were lots of words of praise heaped up...on the head of that man. There was always much applause, as if we'd been at a concert, but not listening to a person who was being used of God as part of a worship service. I found myself wishing the other man had been singing because he helped keep my mind on God and His Word.
Daniel by all "standards" can NOT sing and yet God is using his song to remind people of a very basic truth : that we need to worship in spirit and in truth ( John 4:24) not to be heard of men or praised by them but that we worship purely and freely with no thought for how we may be viewed except BY GOD ALONE and, that we DO worship God because we love Him, because we want to and because we simply CAN NOT HELP IT!
The words to the songs God gave me for our worship this week all attest to God's incredible love for His people. Several of our songs were written in the 1800's. The message is the SAME as the one in the songs written in the last few years: GOD'S LOVE. Amazing love...how can it be??? He loves like a hurricane...I am a tree.......... Daniel has no idea what a hurricane is, much less a tree.maybe he knows what a sloppy wet kiss is, if he remembers, but the love of God alive in him? Oh I have no doubt that he knows THAT! Please read the words, sing along if you know the tunes, let God's love pour all over you like it poured all over us through Daniel's singing of these songs? OH How He Loves !
Desert Song
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
*
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame
*
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here
*
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand
God is my victory and He is here
*
All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
*
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow
It is Well With My Soul
When peace like a river
Attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
Thou has taught me to say
It is well it is well with my soul
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet
Though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded
My helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
*
My sin O the bliss
Of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole ( bold type and italics my own)
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord praise the Lord O my soul
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
*
And Lord haste the day
When my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul
*
It is well it is well
With my soul with my soul
It is well it is well with my soul
And Can It Be
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood
Died He for me who caused His pain
For me who Him to death pursued
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
He left His Father's throne above
So free so infinite His grace
Emptied Himself of all but love
And bled for Adam's helpless race
'Tis mercy all immense and free
For O my God it found out me
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray
I woke the dungeon flamed with light
My chains fell off my heart was free
I rose went forth and followed Thee
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
*
No condemnation now I dread
Jesus and all in Him is mine
Alive in Him my living head
And clothed in righteousness divine
Bold I approach th'eternal throne
And claim the crown through Christ my own
Amazing love How can it be
That Thou my God shouldst die for me
Daniel practically shouted AMAZING LOVE HOW CAN IT BE THAT THOU MY GOD SHOULD DIE FOR ME!!!!
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
*
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
(Yeah) He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves us
Oh how He loves
*
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
He loves us
Daniel will have two surgical procedures done concerning his stomach on Friday. One will give him a feeding tube port ( a "Mickey button" and the other will tighten the sphincter between his stomach and his esophagus so that he isn't so trauamtized by reflux. His teeth are already nearly corroded away from the acid reflux, no telling what his poor esophagus may look like as well. this will be a three day hopitalization. The shunt surgery was only one over night but this is more complicated than the brain surgery. There is more to get restored and in working order before we will be allowed to come home. Will you please pray for my little musician that God will guide every second of the surgery in safety and expertise, and that the recovery period will be eventful ONLY in the areas where events are the desired outcome, with no complications or infections or side issues? I will have my computer and lots of music for him to be in the presence of start to finish. and of course I will be singing over him too. We'll miss one Sunday of worshipping together in church but I suspect that God has other people for Daniel to sing for, and they may need to hear his song far more than anyone inside of a church!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
WE HAVE IT!!!!
Our new, extended and renewed I 171 H !! Officially this is titled
"NOTICE OF FAVORABLE DETERMINATION CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR ADVANCE PROCESSING OF ORPHAN PETITION"
but it states we are valid till 5/3/2011 for our finger prints (then we have to pay to renew...)
and good for advance adoptive approval till December 17, 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah! All of our ducks are in order anticipating............ THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
"NOTICE OF FAVORABLE DETERMINATION CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR ADVANCE PROCESSING OF ORPHAN PETITION"
but it states we are valid till 5/3/2011 for our finger prints (then we have to pay to renew...)
and good for advance adoptive approval till December 17, 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah! All of our ducks are in order anticipating............ THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Our anniversary happened this weekend too!!!
Saturday was our 28th wedding Anniversary. We celebrated the night before at a local steak restaurant, with rather disgusting results although the company was sublime! ( I really like dating my husband!!!) our entire dinner was paid for compliments of the restaurant manager after not one, but two cock roaches crawled out of the food and onto the table. NEVER has this happened to me in even the remotest of developing nation restaurants, or in my own home, I might add!
The day of our anniversary we hosted a luau birthday party for Grandchildren Mady turning 6 and Charlie who as I've mentioned (maybe ad nausem ) turned one and I think that a good time was had by all! The hostess of the party, and celebrant of that 28th anniversary, came home from pre- party-prep errands to find:
 |
| They have blossomed beautifully and their aroma is nothing short of heavenly!! Thank you dear Charlie, my dear husband! |
What a blessing to have special family events to celebrate all year long! Three more Grandchildren have birthdays this month, four children have birthdays in October, Esther's wedding AND her birthday are in November , as are my twin grandchildren's birthdays and one other grand son! Those lovely rose blossoms represent our years of life together and the awesome family which has resulted!
SO happy anniversary to US!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday to DH Charlie first and foremost, Grandbaby Charlie, Granddaughter Mady, Grandson Bryden now 10 , Grand son Ethan now 17, Granddaugther Emily, now 19! A full quiver AND a full flower vase! That's a great combination!
Weddings and pancakes
I started to write a post about Esther's upcoming wedding and bridal shower on Saturday....until..Naomi came to my little computer corner and asked me in her very sweetest voice, "Mommy, how loooooooooooooooooong would it take you to make pancakes? Really loooooooooooong or could you do them sort of fast?" SO, pancakes now, wedding and shower bloggging later! I love you Naomi! How do you tell a girl "no" about panckaes when she asks like that?? Here's Naomi a week ago, talking on the phone to her friend Taevy while jumping onthe trampoline. How's THIS for multi-tasking??!!!
.
.
P.S. Here's breakfast! Syrup, powdered sugar optional, butter: GOTTA have it!
 |
| They are about gone now!!! |
 |
| Naomi likes the "Silver Dollar" aka "Baby sized ones! |
Friday, September 17, 2010
Birthday photos, fun photos and some praises to report too!
 |
| The Charlies celebrating their Sept 13 and Sept 14 birthdays at Esther's MEXICO JOE'S restaurant. Sombreros are not REALLY mandatory, just traditional! |
 |
| The other Grandparents: Grampa David and Gramma Karen who along with some other friends, came to celebrate |
 |
| Charlie with his Daddy's Marine pal, Chuck. This is my favorite Charlie face of the evening! |
Charlie had been wathcing the huge balloon lamps above his head so Uncle Gideon was more than happy to hoist him up to see one and even grab at it!!
 |
| After his favorite Chicken and Dumplings Birthday dinner at home, the King of this Castle loves chocolate cake! This year his favorite had a new secret ingredient in the butter cream icing and it was a HUGE HIT!!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MY HONEY!!! |
 |
| Jael decided that Isaiah had not hada BIG SISTER KISS in a while and promptly fixed the situation! And since it IS the 17th of September and you never know how much more pool weather there is going to be, Naomi, Isaiah and pals Winston and Uriah enjoyed a cooler water warm weather day together |
while the swimming wsa going on, here was Noah....................
 |
| Not wasting the beauty of the day on school, that 's for sure!!! School can be good outside too! |
 |
| Daffodil got curious about how the grain gets into those coffee cans twice a day.... |
 |
| Much to our amusement, but I am sure not to hers, we made a photo -op of Daffodil's dilemma! |
 |
| "Free at last FREE AT LAST!!" took on a whole new meaning!! On to tree branches, hay and other safer pursuits! |
 |
| After that coffee can adventure, Naomi thought the goats needed a safe snack of saltine crackers. Brownie got there first, and Rose second. You can't see poor Daffodil |
 |
| Here's Daffodils's Daddy: Ribs, enjoying a snack of saltine crackers with the Boss! From the ridiculous to the SUBLIME to reverse a phrase.... |
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| We LOVE the math curriculum called TEACHING TEXTBOOKS but somehow, "Somehow" I forgot to order it when I ordered all the rest of our curriculum for the new school year. Who knew that was God working out a September blessing??? So many expenses have popped up and the cost of the Geometry material was not one we needed this month. I posted a request to buy, rent, or borrow to our local home school group,and almost IMMEDIATELY got a response!! A dear friend who was hoping to adopt children from Junior and Diamoh's former orpahange, who has long been a staunch prayer partner with us, and who had wanted to help financially,but found herself tight too, KNEW as soon as she saw my request, that this was a way she could help us! She had the whole set, still in its shrink wrap, unused, and set aside by God for someone else at some other time. God blessed us with brand new text and CDs for Isaac and blessed Lesly with a way to help when she didn't think there was one!!! ****************** AND We got a call yesterday on our house phone...a number which usually only gets "official" or "junk" calls. Charlie took it and I heard him say, " I better let you talk to my wife. I might give you a wrong answer ." Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......... It was USCIS and a very nice lady told me she was updating our 171- H renewal application , she had all of our documents, and wanted to verify that all we had changed was the upper age limit of the children for whom we were requesting renewed approval. I explained that the boy we were waiting to complete the process for had been 9 when we were matched, two + years ago, he's now 11 approaching 12 and we did not ant ANY glitches with age limit to exclude us from getting him home! She said she'd figured that but wanted to get our paperwork completed correctly AND that our new 171-H Advance Approval to Adopt Internationally would be done and sent out in the mail that afternoon!! Hallelujah!!! When I think of howclose I came to throwing that USCIS letter away the day it came because I thought we didn't need an extra 90 days to complete an extention............THANK YOU FATHER for my pack-rattery and that I put the letter on my desk "inbox" slot. THANK YOU Father, for Your prompting and that YOU made it so crystal clear to us that we DID NEED IT ! THANK YOU Father that our dear Social Worker was able to come on September 1 to do our up-date interviews, and that we HAD OUR NEW HOME STUDY IN HAND on September 10 and that USCIS received it on September 14...two days ahead of the deadline to process our extension for 18 more months!! GOD IS GOOD ................ALL THE TIME!!! |
Monday, September 13, 2010
Celebrating family
This week holds several special events for our family. TODAY is my dear husband Charlie's birthday. He got bogged down in work crisis and had no weekend off for us to celebrate, he is stuck out of town tonight for his actual birthday so no celebrating today...who knows what tomorrow will look like!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my HONEY!!
and it is Grandbaby Charlie's FIRST birthday! How fast this year has flown!!
Two weeks later
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This week we will have a birthday party for he and his big sister Madyson whose 6th brithday is later in September.
IF the weather holds, we'll have a BBQ and pool party at none other than G-Ma and Pappa Charlie's CALICO ACRES FARM. If it too cool the lauau will be a bon fire and horse back riding event!!
ALWAYS an event to celebrate or to plan for around here! How I praise God for all of the blessings which bind this family together and for all the answers to prayer we have experienced over the years as we have grown from a divorced single mom -Nursing student and a Forestry-turned- Geology student who married over a free weekend to start married life that following Monday, to the couple and family that God has been growing and cultivating ever since!!! My favorite verse for our family is in the header of this blog....."And all your children shall be taught of the Lord and great will be the peace of your children" Its my challenge with every new day and its often the answer to my prayers at the end of the day. Truly I can say that "The joy of the Lord IS my strength!" I know it is not me. One translation of Colossians 1:29 says... "And this is my work . I can do it only because of God's mighty power at work within me." I love that verse too!! It is a reminder to me that IT IS only God's mighty power, at work within me that accomplishes anything, and then , only when I allow my Heavenly Father free reign, and stay in a right , loving relationship with Him. Those things I launch out and attempt on my own may look "great" for a while, but .... When they are NOT the steps ordered ( not as in BOSSED AROUND) by God for me to be taking, it is not until my awareness of self, my repentance, and restoration -after- forgivness, when I open my heart again for God to direct and for me to follow., THEN those things can be made right, be re-directed or scrapped. We've made plenty of" those decisions " along the way in 28 years!!! God is always so gracious and merciful ( a number of times I have KNOWN very very well, it was only mercy that sustained us ) as He showers us with His love and continues to call us the "apple of His eye" and to sing over us. How can I not be totally in love with God my Heavenly Father? How can I not want to serve Him and follow Him EVERYWHERE, ANY WHERE? How can I not want to know Him better and better, more and more closely? And yet there have been, there are: days, weeks , that I don't. I get lazy, self-sufficicent, too busy to commune with my God, and zap, slip slide boom..............I've fussed at a child too harshly, not recognized my husband's needs anywhere close to adequately, wasted way too much time, not loved on my children or taught them as they need me to! My favorite Scripture verses are not "pats on my back" by any stretch. They are reminders to me of who I am called to be, and WHO calls me. Thirty six years of being a mom, 28 years of mariage and I KNOW that I know that I KNOW that I know I still have a LOT to learn! I do have a lot to share, and I am so aware of that too. . We are all people, in need of a Savior, not a pedestal or a perpetual critic. We all need encouraging, teaching, correction, fellowship; .we all need Jesus. We need the Word. John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God. The same was in the beginning with God." God is and is IN His Word. We all need Him desperately!!
I want to encourage you, I want to be encouraged too.
Its great to celebrate family, but so much greater still to share what God has taught through the blessings of a family life being lived, learning how to know God better!
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| Pappa Charlie and his Little Charlie, August 2010 |
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| Gift from Sopheak ...for our hay bale out back... |
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| My honey and me at Malachi's wedding |
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| A few weeks PRE-Charlie |
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| Labor day morning. Of course, a cell phone and a popsicle |
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| Early evening on Septmeber 14 Charlie David arrived. Hannah was a pretty happy Mamma! |
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| Three months old Our favorite Christmas Elf! |
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| September 11, 2010 First Fund Raiser: helping his Mommy |
This week we will have a birthday party for he and his big sister Madyson whose 6th brithday is later in September.
IF the weather holds, we'll have a BBQ and pool party at none other than G-Ma and Pappa Charlie's CALICO ACRES FARM. If it too cool the lauau will be a bon fire and horse back riding event!!
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| Here's Mady this spring when she and Naomi went berry picking in our back yard. Such a pretty Grand daughter! And then there are Engagements and wedding plans ... |
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| Emily this June at her high school graduation |
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Emily with Dad Joshua and Mom Diana MY oldest Granddaugther is ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED!!!!!!!!! |
And of course, wonderful daughter Esther and Casey are busily preparing for THEIR November 6 wedding
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OH Blast from the past!!!! The day after I graduated from Nursing School, Charlie and I had our wedding rehearsal and were maried the next day, Saturday September 18 in a late moring ceremony. The year? 1982. Twenty eight years ago! We're holding up pretty well, judging form the photo of us from Malachi's wedding in August, Ya think!!!? |
ALWAYS an event to celebrate or to plan for around here! How I praise God for all of the blessings which bind this family together and for all the answers to prayer we have experienced over the years as we have grown from a divorced single mom -Nursing student and a Forestry-turned- Geology student who married over a free weekend to start married life that following Monday, to the couple and family that God has been growing and cultivating ever since!!! My favorite verse for our family is in the header of this blog....."And all your children shall be taught of the Lord and great will be the peace of your children" Its my challenge with every new day and its often the answer to my prayers at the end of the day. Truly I can say that "The joy of the Lord IS my strength!" I know it is not me. One translation of Colossians 1:29 says... "And this is my work . I can do it only because of God's mighty power at work within me." I love that verse too!! It is a reminder to me that IT IS only God's mighty power, at work within me that accomplishes anything, and then , only when I allow my Heavenly Father free reign, and stay in a right , loving relationship with Him. Those things I launch out and attempt on my own may look "great" for a while, but .... When they are NOT the steps ordered ( not as in BOSSED AROUND) by God for me to be taking, it is not until my awareness of self, my repentance, and restoration -after- forgivness, when I open my heart again for God to direct and for me to follow., THEN those things can be made right, be re-directed or scrapped. We've made plenty of" those decisions " along the way in 28 years!!! God is always so gracious and merciful ( a number of times I have KNOWN very very well, it was only mercy that sustained us ) as He showers us with His love and continues to call us the "apple of His eye" and to sing over us. How can I not be totally in love with God my Heavenly Father? How can I not want to serve Him and follow Him EVERYWHERE, ANY WHERE? How can I not want to know Him better and better, more and more closely? And yet there have been, there are: days, weeks , that I don't. I get lazy, self-sufficicent, too busy to commune with my God, and zap, slip slide boom..............I've fussed at a child too harshly, not recognized my husband's needs anywhere close to adequately, wasted way too much time, not loved on my children or taught them as they need me to! My favorite Scripture verses are not "pats on my back" by any stretch. They are reminders to me of who I am called to be, and WHO calls me. Thirty six years of being a mom, 28 years of mariage and I KNOW that I know that I KNOW that I know I still have a LOT to learn! I do have a lot to share, and I am so aware of that too. . We are all people, in need of a Savior, not a pedestal or a perpetual critic. We all need encouraging, teaching, correction, fellowship; .we all need Jesus. We need the Word. John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God. The same was in the beginning with God." God is and is IN His Word. We all need Him desperately!!
I want to encourage you, I want to be encouraged too.
Its great to celebrate family, but so much greater still to share what God has taught through the blessings of a family life being lived, learning how to know God better!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Special babies, rejoicing in heaven and on earth today
The sweet baby I shared my prayers for the other day, quietly and on her Mommy's chest, went home to be with Jesus this morning very early. During the night and early hours of the morning, God was doing a wonderful Body- thing: a large numberof Kim's friends, myself included , were awakened and were in prayer for Selah and her family at that special appointed time. You may read the details here.
If you don't go to the link, that is OK, for sure. BUT will you hold my friends Kim and Ben and their 10 other children up in your prayers and keep them in your thoughts? This is a very bittersweet time for them. Selah is healed ETERNALLY, but Selah their sweet baby girl is gone. Joy and rejoicing bump into sadness and mourning...MISSING their precious little treasure-baby. How wonderful it is to know that God by His Holy Spirit will be faithful in His comforting of "those who mourn", and that truly HALLELUJAH, "by His stripes we are (Selah is) healed".
Our days with Daniel are uncertain and Selah's Homegoing makes our days with Daniel even more precious that they were already. As Selah was rejoicing in Heaven with Jesus this morning, Daniel was singing and rejoicing in church with us this morning. As we sang "His love endures forever" "I beleive in Jesus" "Here I am to Worship" "Your Love Oh Lord " and "The Power of Your Love" Daniel sang at the top of his lungs! He smiled. He laughed. He roared his biggest happiest roars and he sang from the depths of his sweet being. I broke a couple of times as I led the worship when I heard him and looked over at him, worshipping in total abandon and pure trusting believing innocense and adoration of the One Who was stirring his spirit. Jael was holding Daniel and he knew at that moment EVERYTHING was as good as it could get on earth for a person, at least that is what I sensed from Daniel's personna.
How many days will we have like that with Daniel? I can't say. I can say that I don't want to waste a minute of any of them. I know Kim savored and used every possible minute of Selah's life loving her and helping her to know how loved and special and wanted she was. I want it to be that way with Daniel too.
If you don't go to the link, that is OK, for sure. BUT will you hold my friends Kim and Ben and their 10 other children up in your prayers and keep them in your thoughts? This is a very bittersweet time for them. Selah is healed ETERNALLY, but Selah their sweet baby girl is gone. Joy and rejoicing bump into sadness and mourning...MISSING their precious little treasure-baby. How wonderful it is to know that God by His Holy Spirit will be faithful in His comforting of "those who mourn", and that truly HALLELUJAH, "by His stripes we are (Selah is) healed".
Our days with Daniel are uncertain and Selah's Homegoing makes our days with Daniel even more precious that they were already. As Selah was rejoicing in Heaven with Jesus this morning, Daniel was singing and rejoicing in church with us this morning. As we sang "His love endures forever" "I beleive in Jesus" "Here I am to Worship" "Your Love Oh Lord " and "The Power of Your Love" Daniel sang at the top of his lungs! He smiled. He laughed. He roared his biggest happiest roars and he sang from the depths of his sweet being. I broke a couple of times as I led the worship when I heard him and looked over at him, worshipping in total abandon and pure trusting believing innocense and adoration of the One Who was stirring his spirit. Jael was holding Daniel and he knew at that moment EVERYTHING was as good as it could get on earth for a person, at least that is what I sensed from Daniel's personna.
How many days will we have like that with Daniel? I can't say. I can say that I don't want to waste a minute of any of them. I know Kim savored and used every possible minute of Selah's life loving her and helping her to know how loved and special and wanted she was. I want it to be that way with Daniel too.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
9-11 reflections
I have been playing 10th Avenue North's new song "This is Where the Healing Starts" all week as my #1 song as you read SMITHSOUP. It is particularly appropriate today as we all, willingly or not so much so, reflect back on this day nine years ago. Darrly Worley's "Have You Forgoten" is my #1 today but only as a lead in for what GOD offers.....365 days a year. He is our HEALER, HE is where the healing starts, HIS NAME, He is a strong and mighty tower, HE makes it WELL with our souls, HE our ABBA FATHER heals the memories and places them in right relationship with our walk with HIM. Let the anointed , gifted music from God's own heart minister to you today as you run to Him, rest in HIm, cry out to Him, know that I am praying over each of you today that you will let God meet you right where you are to do the work HE so desires to do in your lives. I am rejoicing with each of you who is walking closely with our Heavenly Father, and praying that your walk take you deeper and deeper. For those of you who are hurting and feeling that perhaps God doesn't care about your particular circumstances, or you simply would like someone to pray with you over a situation, I am praying Truth be revealed to you. OH HOW HE LOVES YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please feel free to email me privately if there is something that I can pray together with you over. I would be honored to do that! You can reach me at lkswhenpigsfly@aol.com.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
And one more thing...............
Our Home Study is signed, sealed, delivered to us, and ready to be delivered to USCIS well before the September16 deadline for our 171 H to stay valid!! IN ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Earlene our Super Social Worker and to those who have helped the Bringing J and D Home Chip In Fund at my friend Jill's blog . Knowing that we are holding firm to a hope and plan that our children will be coming home before too very long , she started a fund to "Bless our socks off". Well, I AM "looking for my socks!" God is SO faithful and SO GOOD ...yes! ALL THE TIME!
Lagniappe, Part II
There was actually a bit more "Lagniappe" with which we were blessed this week. On Tuesday, not only did we see Daniel's Pedi-G-I doctor but of course had to do a weigh-in and length measurement. Daniel weighs the SAME NOW with 2 litres of fluid weight OUT of his head as he did when he HAD that 2 litres of fluid weight !! My sweet boy is gaining weight: REAL WEIGHT!!! He's still a tiny man at 21.2 pounds and nearing 3 years of age, he is still comfortably in a size 6-9 month sized shorts, and size 2 shoes but he is growing !!! I am full of praise over this!
Naomi also had her annual abdominal ultrasound to assess the status of her internal organs as they deal with the climbing, ongoing, high numbers of Hep B virus circulating around in her body. The report was that everything is perfectly fine and a return visit is not needed until the end of the year or early start of next year. How we praise God that He is sustaining her and that He IS the one of Whose Son it was said " Even the winds obey Him!" Our God has dominion over every virus and these too must obey His voice. The viruses didn't get into Naomi's body by accident. They had to pass before our Heavenly Father before they touched my daughter. I TRUST MY HEAVENLY FATHER. We knew that Naomi might do well, or not, when we accepted her referral 7 1/2 years ago, we've known ever since. I can not imagine life without this precious treasure of a daughter. HOW could anyone resist "Mommy,guess what I want to do? Bake cookies with YOU!"
Watching a bird
Naomi also had her annual abdominal ultrasound to assess the status of her internal organs as they deal with the climbing, ongoing, high numbers of Hep B virus circulating around in her body. The report was that everything is perfectly fine and a return visit is not needed until the end of the year or early start of next year. How we praise God that He is sustaining her and that He IS the one of Whose Son it was said " Even the winds obey Him!" Our God has dominion over every virus and these too must obey His voice. The viruses didn't get into Naomi's body by accident. They had to pass before our Heavenly Father before they touched my daughter. I TRUST MY HEAVENLY FATHER. We knew that Naomi might do well, or not, when we accepted her referral 7 1/2 years ago, we've known ever since. I can not imagine life without this precious treasure of a daughter. HOW could anyone resist "Mommy,guess what I want to do? Bake cookies with YOU!"
Watching a bird
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Referral photo, of of the first two we ever saw
But there is MORE! God really poured Lagniappe all around and over us this week!
In between appointments, Rachel, Naomi, Daniel and I had time for lunch at the Mall. Naomi asked if Rachel could come along for company, and since I am not one to discourage sister-bonding and since they love to be together anyhow, this was a good plan....Mall, lunch, maybe some shoe shopping????? "Ouh ouh OUH!!! Its OK if Rachel comes too? THANK YOU MOMMY!!!"
We got into the Mall elevator heading for the Food Court and shared the car with a young mom and her two small boys. Some small talkey something or another set us to talking and she sweetly and so gently asked, "So, what's your little guy's story?" I shared a bit about him and how we came to be blessed to bring him home. She asked, "Are you a believer? A believer in Jesus?" "YES yes YES!!!!" and the fellowship started in between the ground floor and the upstairs Food Court level of Penn Square Mall. She shared that they had friends who were adoptive parents, that she herself had just returned from a mission trip to Haiti, they live as far south of the mall as we do north..........all too soon the elevator came to a stop. We continued to talk as we apporached the Food Court when she asked me if she could pray for Daniel and us. FOR SURE!!!!!! I don't know that anyone else has ever had Church ouside that Food Court, but this woman and I certainly did! She laid her hand on Daniel's head and prayed over him and his life , and his family, and it was beyond Lagniappe! There was nothing "little" about this "something extra"!
Isaiah 52:7 came to mind as I thought of where we were, and the Good News being shared by my new friend and the Good News that Daniel's very presence brings forth!
How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news,Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness,Who announces salvation,And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
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| Daniel's "big" size 3 shoes on his beautiful feet! |
Lagniappe
Life was so full of doctor visits and new home school year set up, sports and all that, there was truly no time to write anything but I kept thinking "OH I want to share this on my blog!!" many times over.
Our new school year has begun, with the addition of Alpha and Omega Switched on School house and Monarch programs in place of and in addition to, some of our tried -and-true Wordly Wise 3000 vocabulary curriculum, Teaching textbooks and Scott Foresman mathematics for the younger grades.
I am loving the Switched on School House and Monarch programs! The website allows me to set up the school calendar, asign the work to each of my students and to get the end-of-day progress reports on each one from the master curriculum set up. NO GRADING, no lesson plans..............it's all done for me!! A last minute doctor's appointment for Daniel with the pediatric gastro-surgeon caused a bit of turmoil since it was out first day and I, the teacher was absent from school , but my wonderful students plugged into even the new online material and had a great morning without me!
Daniel. His shunt placement has gone so well, has apparently pulled all the excess fluid form his brain cavity, and has resulted in much less irritability than before he had the shunt put in! We've seen a couple of mile-
stone activities, but alas, only once or twice per "milestone". They were precious, they were unexpected and if they were one time events, we did share them with Daniel and we loved them. IF they were "unintended" that's OK , too. When I cuddle my "forever baby" and hold him close and watch his face relax into the most peaceful face on earth, what he "does" or does not do fades into nothingness. All he has to do is BE. Anything else is what the Cajuns call "lagniappe" and it means " a little something extra". Every morning that Daniel wakes up, irritable or placid, barfy or not, is Lagniappe. Babies with his diagnosis who live to be even one year old are rare. I am praying with a dear friend whose daughter Selah shares Daniel's diagnosis and whose condition seems far more grave than Daniel's right now. What we both know in a newer and deeper way is how precious every single second of LIFE truly is. Our babies' days may be numbered far more clearly than those of our other children and we cherish every moment of each one as precious "Lagniappe"
Our Pediatric Gastro-Enterology appointment was Tuesday and I had hoped we'd get a surgery date. The upshot was because Daniel needed more than just the feeding tube, this doctor referred us to the Pedi- G-I surgeon for a consult. WOW!!! Even the young doctor assisting the senior one was super- pleased when he came back to tell us that the surgeon wanted to see us the NEXT MORNING! So yes, we interrupted a perfectly well -planned first day of school for a surgeon's consultation. It was all OK!
Daniel will have his gastrostomy ( Mickey button for a feeding tube) surgery on October 1 and along with it a procedure to help tighten that sphincter which causes him such terrible reflux all the time. The surgeon told me it would be pointless to do surgery for a feeding tube if Daniel was still going to reflux everything back up. Amen. He was so very kind and yet realistic about Daniel's diagnosis and the "what-ifs" of a possible failed surgery. (Yes I am very aware that surgery doesn't always "work") and he didn't want us making Daniel's life all about surgical interventions and short term fixes that would really not add to his comfort even if they did make us feel like we were "doing all we can for our baby" It was a conversation of good balance and I think we both understoodeach other very clearly. So far I have been so very pleased with the doctors at OU Children's Hospital, and with the support staff personnel too. The ladies at tehdesk in Pre-op processing remembered us from July, the anesthesiologist's assistant and resident and the pre-op nurses did too. I walked in and was asked " Oh couldn't your husband come with you today?" The anesthesia resident told me that while she wasn't "glad" Daniel was back for more surgery, she was glad she got to see him and find out how he was doing. If you have to have surgery performed on your child, its by a team of people like this!
Its so hard to cathc a smling Daniel or a laughing Daniel if I am the one trying to get thsoe smiels and laughs but in this rather wiggly photo you can see a laugh coming. I was tickling his ribs and , at least this time, it amused him and pleased him to the point of laughing
. Sometimes it simply ticks him off.
Our new school year has begun, with the addition of Alpha and Omega Switched on School house and Monarch programs in place of and in addition to, some of our tried -and-true Wordly Wise 3000 vocabulary curriculum, Teaching textbooks and Scott Foresman mathematics for the younger grades.
I am loving the Switched on School House and Monarch programs! The website allows me to set up the school calendar, asign the work to each of my students and to get the end-of-day progress reports on each one from the master curriculum set up. NO GRADING, no lesson plans..............it's all done for me!! A last minute doctor's appointment for Daniel with the pediatric gastro-surgeon caused a bit of turmoil since it was out first day and I, the teacher was absent from school , but my wonderful students plugged into even the new online material and had a great morning without me!
Daniel. His shunt placement has gone so well, has apparently pulled all the excess fluid form his brain cavity, and has resulted in much less irritability than before he had the shunt put in! We've seen a couple of mile-
stone activities, but alas, only once or twice per "milestone". They were precious, they were unexpected and if they were one time events, we did share them with Daniel and we loved them. IF they were "unintended" that's OK , too. When I cuddle my "forever baby" and hold him close and watch his face relax into the most peaceful face on earth, what he "does" or does not do fades into nothingness. All he has to do is BE. Anything else is what the Cajuns call "lagniappe" and it means " a little something extra". Every morning that Daniel wakes up, irritable or placid, barfy or not, is Lagniappe. Babies with his diagnosis who live to be even one year old are rare. I am praying with a dear friend whose daughter Selah shares Daniel's diagnosis and whose condition seems far more grave than Daniel's right now. What we both know in a newer and deeper way is how precious every single second of LIFE truly is. Our babies' days may be numbered far more clearly than those of our other children and we cherish every moment of each one as precious "Lagniappe"
Our Pediatric Gastro-Enterology appointment was Tuesday and I had hoped we'd get a surgery date. The upshot was because Daniel needed more than just the feeding tube, this doctor referred us to the Pedi- G-I surgeon for a consult. WOW!!! Even the young doctor assisting the senior one was super- pleased when he came back to tell us that the surgeon wanted to see us the NEXT MORNING! So yes, we interrupted a perfectly well -planned first day of school for a surgeon's consultation. It was all OK!
Daniel will have his gastrostomy ( Mickey button for a feeding tube) surgery on October 1 and along with it a procedure to help tighten that sphincter which causes him such terrible reflux all the time. The surgeon told me it would be pointless to do surgery for a feeding tube if Daniel was still going to reflux everything back up. Amen. He was so very kind and yet realistic about Daniel's diagnosis and the "what-ifs" of a possible failed surgery. (Yes I am very aware that surgery doesn't always "work") and he didn't want us making Daniel's life all about surgical interventions and short term fixes that would really not add to his comfort even if they did make us feel like we were "doing all we can for our baby" It was a conversation of good balance and I think we both understoodeach other very clearly. So far I have been so very pleased with the doctors at OU Children's Hospital, and with the support staff personnel too. The ladies at tehdesk in Pre-op processing remembered us from July, the anesthesiologist's assistant and resident and the pre-op nurses did too. I walked in and was asked " Oh couldn't your husband come with you today?" The anesthesia resident told me that while she wasn't "glad" Daniel was back for more surgery, she was glad she got to see him and find out how he was doing. If you have to have surgery performed on your child, its by a team of people like this!
Its so hard to cathc a smling Daniel or a laughing Daniel if I am the one trying to get thsoe smiels and laughs but in this rather wiggly photo you can see a laugh coming. I was tickling his ribs and , at least this time, it amused him and pleased him to the point of laughing
. Sometimes it simply ticks him off.
At the surgeon's office, he rather liked his stroller ride
But before long, he'd had enough
of the day and its busyness so off to peaceful sleep he went! I know he has no clue that every stitch of blue and green crocheted blanket he's wrapped in came from his mommy's eagerly waiting fingers, but I absolutely love every moment I get to see him snuggled and warm with my labor of love! For a Mamma who thought her "Baby days" were over, every day with Daniel is LAGNIAPPE!!
of the day and its busyness so off to peaceful sleep he went! I know he has no clue that every stitch of blue and green crocheted blanket he's wrapped in came from his mommy's eagerly waiting fingers, but I absolutely love every moment I get to see him snuggled and warm with my labor of love! For a Mamma who thought her "Baby days" were over, every day with Daniel is LAGNIAPPE!!Thursday, September 2, 2010
Sharing a friend's blog post, and a Smith Soup update too
This is so powerful and SO my heart ! Thanks Amy for letting God flow through you to write this piece!!
While We Wait...
God continues to bless us as we trust Him for "the things hoped for," and "the evidence of things not seen" !
Our 171 H, that official US government document which grants "Advance Approval to Adopt" internationally was due to expire on June 17. We re-did the bio-metrics (ie finger prints) which expired in February to extend the life of the document to make sure we were valid to get Daniel home. We started the home study update stuff "just in case" early June flummoxed into later June and found us in a gray zone. For some interesting reason, the document itself is good for 18 months but the finger prints required to make it /keep it valid, are only good for 15 months. USCIS does allow one "free renewal" of this (at least) $830.00 document and I am not one to waste ANYTHING. That said, when we were able to complete Daniel's adoption before that expiration date, I stopped moving forward with the renewal.... thinking we" would not need it," so why pay for a new home study for "nothing" . God please forgive me for that thought, I am truly sorry I thought or spoke those words! They were not Your words! I nearly let 18 months of willing opened opportuity slip though our fingers!! This is part of why Amy's post hit me so hard this morning. We ARE waiting and I very nearly gave away our PAID FOR opportunity to adopt ! Fast forward from mid-June to late August...
LO AND BEHOLD, we got notice from USICS that they were unable to complete our renewal request for our 171 H because the new home study had not been sent in. Apparently when USCIS centralized the processing center for these documents, an extra 90 days was added on to the expiration date. I had not seen this grace period granted before in our perpetual quest of a valid 171 H!! The letter further explained that IF we get the new home study submitted by September 16 we will be renewed for 18 more months. I almost threw the letter away the day it came, but "Something" ... THANK YOU LORD!!!!!! prompted me to put it on my "in" shelf...........................IN FAITH we updated our home study yesterday, while doing Daniel's "Post-placement" report interview (required by many countries of adoptive families) and were promised a new completed study in plenty of time to get a copy to USCIS to stay valid!!!! When God opens up those necessary doors, the Smith Family WILL be ready, lamps filled and lit, wicks trimmed, waiting to be told "NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Our Social Worker, Earlene is an amazing lady and we love her to pieces! We are , btw, her largest adoptive family, at the moment by one child. Here she is with the eight she had such a vital part in our being blessed to bring home!!She's holding Daniel, next to her is Naomi, then Rachel and Isaiah . Behind her are Isaac, Leah, and Noah who is holding Grand baby Charlie
And because my friend Tammy sent him this outfit and I love it on him here are few Treasu(RED) photos of Daniel!!
Daniel is ticklish!!
While We Wait...
God continues to bless us as we trust Him for "the things hoped for," and "the evidence of things not seen" !
Our 171 H, that official US government document which grants "Advance Approval to Adopt" internationally was due to expire on June 17. We re-did the bio-metrics (ie finger prints) which expired in February to extend the life of the document to make sure we were valid to get Daniel home. We started the home study update stuff "just in case" early June flummoxed into later June and found us in a gray zone. For some interesting reason, the document itself is good for 18 months but the finger prints required to make it /keep it valid, are only good for 15 months. USCIS does allow one "free renewal" of this (at least) $830.00 document and I am not one to waste ANYTHING. That said, when we were able to complete Daniel's adoption before that expiration date, I stopped moving forward with the renewal.... thinking we" would not need it," so why pay for a new home study for "nothing" . God please forgive me for that thought, I am truly sorry I thought or spoke those words! They were not Your words! I nearly let 18 months of willing opened opportuity slip though our fingers!! This is part of why Amy's post hit me so hard this morning. We ARE waiting and I very nearly gave away our PAID FOR opportunity to adopt ! Fast forward from mid-June to late August...
LO AND BEHOLD, we got notice from USICS that they were unable to complete our renewal request for our 171 H because the new home study had not been sent in. Apparently when USCIS centralized the processing center for these documents, an extra 90 days was added on to the expiration date. I had not seen this grace period granted before in our perpetual quest of a valid 171 H!! The letter further explained that IF we get the new home study submitted by September 16 we will be renewed for 18 more months. I almost threw the letter away the day it came, but "Something" ... THANK YOU LORD!!!!!! prompted me to put it on my "in" shelf...........................IN FAITH we updated our home study yesterday, while doing Daniel's "Post-placement" report interview (required by many countries of adoptive families) and were promised a new completed study in plenty of time to get a copy to USCIS to stay valid!!!! When God opens up those necessary doors, the Smith Family WILL be ready, lamps filled and lit, wicks trimmed, waiting to be told "NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
And because my friend Tammy sent him this outfit and I love it on him here are few Treasu(RED) photos of Daniel!!
Daniel is ticklish!!
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